"I just wanted you to know that you were the nicest person that day I came in to get my power back on. We have been having a hard time paying the bills since I had to stop working and your help was greatly appreciated. After I left your office, the rest of my day went smoothly and my girls were able to come home and take a nice warm bath that night! Thank you."
--Client in Fairfield—

The lack of sufficient funds to pay for heat and electricity affects many other needs:

Housing:
Connecticut is the seventh least affordable housing market in the country. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition 2008 "Out of Reach" Report, to afford a modest 2 bedroom apartment in Connecticut a family needs an annual income of $43, 911. In a report by the Connecticut Department of Labor, out of 678 occupations included in a recent salary survey, nearly half of the occupations (325) do not earn enough on average to afford fair market rent of $1,098 per month. Over 50% percent of Connecticut's working poor pay well over 30% of their net income for an apartment, according to the CT Anti-Hunger Coalition. This does not leave much left for other necessities.

Education:
It is difficult for a child to study and realize his or her full potential in a home with no heat or lighting. Homeless shelters are no option for children. According to the CT Counts 2008 Point in Time Report from the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, between January 2007 and January 2008, the number of families with minor children living in homeless shelters increased by 21%, with the number of children in those families increasing by 18%. Homelessness can affect children’s lives permanently. Social isolation, emotional stress and family disruption are all factors that can affect school performance and depreciate a child's self-image and self-worth.

Children’s Health and Development:
Prior to assistance from Operation Fuel, many of our families are forced to make the choice between buying nutritious food and paying energy expenses. In September of 2007, the Children’s Sentinel Nutrition Assessment Program (C-SNAP), in partnership with Citizens Energy Corporation, released a report entitled "Fuel for our Future: Impacts of Energy Insecurity on Children’s Health, Nutrition, and Learning". Carefully evaluating the "Heat or Eat" dilemma, children living in energy insecure households are more likely to be in poor health, have a history of hospitalizations, be at risk for developmental problems, and be food insecure. C-SNAP research reports that babies and toddlers in income-eligible homes that do not receive goivernement energy assistance are 32% more likely to be hospitalized during winter months due to energy and food insecurity.

Winter safety:
The National Center for Health Statistics reported that approximately 60,000 lives are lost annually because of problems associated with cold weather including fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, pneumonia, influenza and other infectious diseases and, of course, hypothermia. It is our mission to assist families in crisis to remain in their homes and make it through the winter months.

Foster Care, the chilling reality:
For a significant number of households, loss of utility service is a contributing factor to children going into foster care. Families that are unable to stretch their incomes to pay for food, rent and utilities tend to pay for rent and food first, not realizing that landlords will report utility disconnections. Living without utility service is considered neglect, which results in removal of children from the home by protective services.
 
In Connecticut, there is a moratorium on utility service shut-offs. If a resident is below 150% of the federal poverty level, they can not be refused gas and electric service because of lack of payment from November1 through May 1. This is the "No Freeze" policy. Unfortunately, this policy does not apply to residents above 150% of the federal poverty line or to homes that heat with deliverable fuels. Oil companies may refuse to heat a home because of insufficient payment and can demand full payment before continuing service. Many times, if the utility receives a partial payment from Operation Fuel on behalf of an applicant, this is enough to begin a dialogue and set up a payment schedule.

For information on applying for assistance please call 211 or the fuel bank in your town.